Water cooling system for refrigerators



Jan. 21, 1964 R. SCHULTZ WATER COOLING SYSTEM FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed April 12, 1962 mm MW i 1C A S United States Patent F Filed Apr. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 187,030 1 Claim. (Cl. 62--339) The present invention relates to a water cooling system for refrigerators and more particularly to an arrangement by which chilled drinking water contained within a cooling tank located within a conventional refrigerator, such as one of the household types, or in any other refrigerated chamber, can be drawn from the tank through a remotelysituated tap or spigot. I

It is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement of this kind by which water drawn from the supply' mains is delivered into the tank in the refrigerator'and therein chilled, and by the operation of a valve, said water entering the tank, will force a supply of the chilled water out of the tank at the top thereof and through a convenient and possibly remotely situated spigot or tap for use by a consumer for drinking or other purposes.

It is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement for the purpose described, which can be easily installed without very material alteration in conventional piping and with little change in the refrigerator and which will insure for the user an ever-present and constant supply of chilled water.

It is another object of the invention to provide a system of this kind in which a household refrigerator can be used for chilling the water in a tank contained within it; with which a conveniently positioned faucet or tap can be used for dispensing the chilled water drawn from the tank; with which the tank will be automatically filled as fast as the Water is drawn from the tank, and with which the parts or elements of the system can be easily installed.

More particularly, the invention contemplates the provision of a water tank arranged within a refrigerator to thereby chill its water contents; of a pipe line leading from a source of Water under pressure and connected to the tank to thereby convey water into the same; with outlet piping leading from the tank to a conveniently positioned spigot or tap, and with a check valve provided in the piping betwen the spigot and tank to shut off the flow of the chilled water from the tank and through the spigot upon cessation of the flow of water under pressure from its supply source to the tank.

With these and other objects to be hereinafter set forth in view, I have devised the arrangement of parts to be described and more particularly pointed out in the claim appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed,

FIG. 1 is a view, showing somewhat diagrammatically, the improved water cooling system;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view through the wall of a refrigerator, showing the installation of the water-cooling tank inside of the refrigerator, and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view through the valve and spigot which controls the flow of the iced or chilled water taken from the tank.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates a portion of a basin or sink on which is mounted the conventional f aucet combination fitting generally indicated at 20, and provided with a hot water faucet valve 2, a cold water faucet valve 3 and the outlet spout or spigot 4 from which hot or cold water, or a mixture of both, can be caused to flow. The piping conveying the hot water supply to the valve 2 is shown at 5, such piping including the usual shut-off valve 6.

The piping conveying cold Water from the supply main under pressure, is shown at 7, which piping extends to the valve 3 and it includes a shut-off valve 8.

3,118,289 Patented Jan. 21, 1954 The means for dispensing the chilled water is generally indicatedat 9 and it includes a housing 11 on the sink or basin or at any other desired location, and in which a valve 10, controlled by rotation of the knob 13 in the shaft 14, is located. The unit 9, when mounted on or over a basin, such as that over which the unit 20' is mounted, or in another location, has its spigot or spout 15 disposed over the basin;

A'pipe 16 has one end connected through a coupling or T-fitting 17 into the cold water supply piping 7 and the other end of the piping 17 is connected into the housing of the valve 10, "The piping 16 thus constitutes a branch pipe from the supply pipe'7 at a point intermediate of the source of'water supply and the valve 3. The housing of the valve 10 is provided with alaterally-extending nipple B1 to which one end of piping 19 is connected, which piping includes a portion that extends through the insulated wall 18 of a refrigerator casing. The refrigerator may be of the usual household type or any other kind having a refrigerating chamber in which the water tank indicated at 20a may be mounted.

One end of the piping 19 is connected to the end of the water tank 241a by means of the fitting 21. The portion of the piping 19 which extends through the wall of the refrigerator extends through a rubber grommet 22 acting to seal any opening in the wall through which the piping passes. At the outer side of the refrigerator Wall, the piping passes through a split bushing 23' surrounded by a threaded sleeve, shown at 24.

A coupling 25 is provided at the top of the Water tank 20 to which is connected one end of a pipe 26 that extends to and is connected with the spigot 15 substantially as shown in FIG. 3. The spigot may be pivotal in the known manner, the same being swingable in the bushing 27. Provided in the housing 11 is a check valve, consisting of a ball .28 normally urged against its seat 30' by means of a coil spring 29.

From the foregoing, the structure and operation of the improved chilled water supply means will be apparent. Water is supplied into the tank 20a through the piping 16 connected to the water-supply pipe 7, and the water in the tank is cooled by its position within the refrigerator which, as explained above, may be of the usual household type. The water supplied to the tank under pressure from the supply mains, passes through the valve housing to enter the tank and maintain the same always in filled condition.

When the valve 10 is opened by manipulation of the knob 13, the water will flow through the piping 16 and 19' and into the tank to thereby force the chilled water from the tank out through the top outlet 25 through the piping 26 to cause it to flow out of the spigot 15. The pressure of the water flow through the piping 26 is sufficient to raise the check valve 28 against the bias of the spring 29 and to cause the chilled water to flow out through the spigot 15 as required for use.

When the valve 10 is closed by the turning of the knob 13, the flow of water through the piping 16 to the valve will be shut OE and the pressure drop on the water in the tank 21) will be insufiicient to raise the check valve 28 from its seat 30' against the bias of the spring 29 and the flow of the chilled water through the spigot 15 will be discontinued. The valve 28 is also eifective to prevent any siphoning effect after the valve 10 is shut off.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that an arrangement is provided by which chilled water can be drawn at will upon merely opening the valve 10. At the same time the opening of the valve will be effective to replenish the water in the tank through piping 7, 16 and 17 from the water main. The tank 20a will thus always be maintained in a full condition.

Having thus described a single embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto, but is broad enough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexed claim.

What I claim is:

A water cooling system for'refrigerators comprising, a refrigerator casing containing an elongated cylindrical water-holding tank therein and whereby to cool water contained in the tank, a remote pressurized water supply line leading to one end of the tank and whereby to supply the tank with Water under pressure, a control device disposed within the Water supply line, said control device being a remotely positioned faucet, a cut-01f valve carried by the faucet for controlling the flow of pressurized water from the supply line, a supply line leading from the valve and connected to the end of the tank substantially axially thereof, a discharge spigot carried by the remotely' disposed faucet, an outlet pipe leading from the top of the tank to the spigot, an upwardly opening check valve in the last named line leading to the spigot, the check valve serving to control the flow of water from the top of the tank through the discharge spigot, the check valvefor the discharge spigot being unseated when 4 the Water is forced from the tank to the spigot and with the check valve being biased to a closed position upon the interruption of the flow of the pressurized water, the piping and supply line extending through apertures formed in the wall of the refrigerator, resilient grommets engaging the apertures upon the inner side of the wall of the refrigerator and packing nuts fitted into the apertures upon the outer side of the wall of the refrigerator whereby the tank is fixedly held Within the tank of the refrigerator to one side, the entry of the supply line into the end of the tank and the outlet pipe extending from the top of the tank preventing the accumulation of air within the tank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,692,223 Pinkerton Nov. 20, 1928 2,045,009 Ehle June 23, 1936 2,478,220 Alexander Aug. 9, 1949 2,644,316 Wyrnan July 7, 1953 2,785,546 Bauerlein Mar. 19, 1957 

